Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysia’s Ministry of Home Affairs announced on Friday that it has dismantled a network accused of funding ISIS operations in Syria and Bangladesh, according to the Malaysian National News Agency.
Inspector-General of Police Muhd Khaled Ismail said the network consisted mainly of Bangladeshi nationals living in Malaysia who used social media to spread extremist propaganda and recruit new members, particularly among migrant workers.
The network was first detected by Malaysia’s Special Branch after Facebook accounts linked to ISIS propaganda were traced to IP addresses in Malaysia.
Police say the group aimed to recruit fighters to send to Syria and raise funds for ISIS cells there. They collected donations via mobile payment apps and used international money transfer services to funnel the money abroad.
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Investigators say the group targeted Bangladeshi migrant workers at factories, construction sites, and gas stations across Malaysia. They spread radical ideology through Facebook and other social media platforms to attract new supporters.
The network reportedly involved between 100 and 150 people. Members used encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram to coordinate activities, hold religious lessons, and organize secret meetings.
Malaysian police warned that the country risks becoming a regional transit hub for foreign fighters if extremist ideologies continue to infiltrate migrant communities. They added that these covert activities pose a threat to domestic security and could damage Malaysia’s international reputation if left unchecked.
Authorities said minor offenders would likely be deported, while those found heavily involved would face charges under national security laws. They also revealed that several members who pledged allegiance to ISIS online had taken leadership roles in new cells to expand the group’s reach.
